Tag Archive | My Name Is Kim Sam Soon

My first ever stop was My Name Is Kim Sam Soon‘s Bon Appetit restaurant. Probably because it was the easiest one to find and is also near the area that I am going that day. And it’s a good thing, I thought. After all my “relationship” with Korea started with My Name Is Kim Sam Soon and we all know how big of a role this restaurant have in that drama.

Scene from the drama

Scene from the drama

Me and my friend kept walking until we saw the famous clock from the main street. We got really thrilled when we saw the tip of the clock of that famous filming location for Kim Sam Soon.

But when we get nearer, we were both disappointed with what we saw. 😦

The place is now a total rundown. 😦 It was renovated so it doesn’t look the same anymore, though there are still traces of materials from the original building (like the clock, the bricks, the flooring, the doors, and the tiles. It’s so sad to see wild weeds sprouting between the tiles and the abandoned restaurant stuff inside. It looks like no one has stepped inside for a loooong time.

When the drama was filming it was Hippo Family Restaurant. Although the drama named the restaurant Bon Appetit, you can still see some logos of Hippo on it. Then I heard it was closed after the drama (my thoughts: they scouted for a restaurant that is about to close – since the drama needs the location for a long period of time it would be difficult for both the restaurant owner and the production staff to use a place that is currently operating). Then it was renovated and turned into Todai Restaurant (Western Restaurant I’m guessing). There are still logos of Todai on the building when we went there. I think they are the reason why the clock was pushed back instead of the original position. But we also noticed that there was a different restaurant name on it – Aribann (a Traditional Korean Restaurant).

I don’t know why the place was abandoned. If only I had the money I’ll buy the place and make it alive again, just to relive the Kim Sam Soon memories.

It’s just really sad seeing the place like that. It has changed a lot. But as what my friend said, What do you expect, it’s been 7 years! O.o

I promised myself I’m never going back to that place. It just makes me feel sad. Me and my friend felt really really sad after we need to cheer ourselves up. There’s something in the place that would make anyone who have seen My Name Is Kim Sam Soon feel gloomy.

HOW TO GET THERE:

If you are still interested and doesn’t mind feeling lonely, take subway line 2. Get off 삼성 station. Get of exit 2. Walk straight ahead. It would only take your a few minutes. It’s on your left. It’s not easy to see the place right away because it’s covered by some trees. But if you keep looking up, you won’t miss the clock.

There’s a BMW showroom in front of it (which is just along the main street (영동대로). You can pass by a small door beside the BMW showroom to get to the restaurant. Or you can turn left on the third corner (역삼로).

I’ve always been curious regarding the cakes used in the drama My Name Is Kim Sam Soon and we basically have information about most of them, except for one used, not on the drama, but on the photo shoot.

I want to get some photos of the exact cake that Sam Soon was holding in the poster of My Name Is Kim Sam Soonbut I don’t know what’s it called even in English. So I googled some Korean keywords until I came across some Korean blogs and I found out what kind of cake it is.

It’s called 산딸기 무스 케이크 (Raspberry mousse cake). It’s fun being able to get the information I needed by using Korean keywords. Today I learned what raspberry is and probably will never forget it (because at first I thought it was some sort of a strawberry 달기 that grows in the mountains 산 O.o)

Do you remember Hyun Bin’s niece who wouldn’t talk in My Name Is Kim Sam Soon?

Her name is Suh Ji Hee and she surprised a lot of netizens as she appears all grown up now at 13 (going 14) as the young Seol in the currently airing Sageuk drama, The Moon That Embraces The Sun.

I’ve seen her on her other dramas after Sam Soon (in my ever failing attempt to create a trailer for my favorite Kim Sam Soon fanfic) like One Fine Day and Fly High and saw her grew up little by little over the years. But seeing her THIS big now just confirms how fast time has flown.

Gosh, I miss My Name Is Kim Sam Soon so badly. I need to find time to re-watch it soon… maybe on summer vacation? ㅠㅠ

Last December 9th, Korean Night was held in our university. I love attending Korean Night. It’s an annual event held at the International Center Dormitory. Korean exchange students perform and share the Korean culture with the rest of the dormitory residents and university students. This year is quite special for me since a number of my Korean friends are hands-on with the preparation and performances. I was also involved a little because I translated (Korean to English) the first draft of their skit – Boys Over Flower-Secret Garden parody – which was extremely hilarious.

But I was actually not supposed to be there that day. I was supposed to be on a wonderful vacation. However, due to some unexpected things, I had to cancel my vacation and I ended up documenting for the event instead.

Though I enjoyed the night and loved all the performances by my friends (and was so proud of them), I’d be lying if I won’t say that I’d rather be on the vacation that I’ve been looking forward to for months.

But when my friend informed me that the man manning the sound system is actually the producer of My Name Is Kim Sam Soon OST, I can’t stop giggling, like a proper fangirl.

Since I’m a terrible writer, I really find it hard to write something about things (or people) that are close to my heart. Thus I can’t write a proper review of most of Kim Sun Ah’s dramas, I can’t write a good personal post about Kim Sun Ah, and I rarely can write good letters to my closest friends. Whenever I attempt to write, it’s like my heart is overflowing with emotions and my mind can’t keep up in organizing my thoughts thus I end up giving up.

But this time, I want to try writing something about My Name Is Kim Sam Soon. I don’t think this is anywhere close to a review. But I just want to try answering why I’m so attached to this drama.

It’s been 5 years (close to 6 now) since I first saw, and got addicted to, My Name Is Kim Sam Soon. But no matter how many years have passed and how many good dramas come my way, I still hold My Name Is Kim Sam Soon special and close to my heart. And I guess it will forever be the number one drama on my list.

Five years ago this drama aired in our country, dubbed in our native language. It was the hype of the first wave of Hallyu in our country (when K-pop is still unheard of and Filipino girls scream not for Super Junior or 2PM but for Cholo (Kwon Sang Woo), Julian (Lee Dong Wok), Justin (Rain) and Martin (Lee Dong Gun).

I was apathetic over Korean dramas and the hype it created. 또? After Mexican dramas, Filipinos are going crazy over Korean dramas. It’s just another fad, I thought. As you can see, I was not into Korean dramas to begin with. It was Mom who’s the real and original K-drama fan in our home. She watched Korean drama one after the other on television – My Name Is Kim Sam Soon included.

I happen to catch the first few episodes because I was in between jobs that time. It was funny. The kind that is quite different from the other dramas that my mom watched/watches. But it was not enough to catch my attention.

I remember that a few months after my mom told me that Kim Sam Soonhas ended. Fooled by how prettier Kim Sun Ah is on the title card than the Kim Sam Soon I saw on the first few episodes, I said, “So she became pretty, sexy and got married to the guy, right?”. To my surprise, my mom said, “Neither”.

It sparked my interest and got curious. Thus when the re-run started, I watched it. Casually at first. But eventually Kim Sun Ah’s amazing portrayal of Kim Sam Soon the way Kim Sun Ah gave life to Kim Sam Soon got me. And I was hooked. I grew up seeing dramas with ridiculous plots and the most unbelievable characters on television (aka Filipino dramas circa 80s, 90s, 2000s). So seeing a meticulously produced drama (compared to the crap we have) with a not-so-typical heroine (not pretty, not sexy, swears to her heart’s content) amazed me.

I enjoyed watching the show, but it was Kim Sam Soon’s confession that made me crazy.

At that time, for many reasons, my confidence is at its lowest. But there in front of me, inside a 21″ black box, is a chubby, unattractive 30-year-old woman, who can swear a lot, confessing bravely to the guy she likes. Something I wish I can do, but I know I won’t be able to do. I can’t help but adore her braveness and confidence. And since then, I’ve been cheering for her (especially whenever Sam Shik is being a jerk).

I’ve laughed and cried with her. I cheered for her. My heart fluttered when hers did. I adored her more and more.

But what struck me the most was the scene when she was talking to her Dad in her dreams.

Even before that scene. When I saw Kim Sam Soon sleeping peacefully next to Jin Hun, I started being sad. When a lot of other viewers would have been all giddy and happy for Sam Soon for she finally found her happiness, I was sad. Because it was too good and too perfect and I worry what if her happiness won’t last long? I was afraid that Sam Soon MIGHT get hurt and be devastated – because everything is so good NOW. O.o Those were the foolish thoughts that I have.

So imagine how stunned I was when, after a few minutes, Sam Soon started crying and put my thoughts into words.

Sam Soon: It’s just that things are going so well right now. I am so happy right now… but… I am so afraid that everything will just disappear.Sam Soon’s Dad: Sam Soon ah.Sam Soon (crying): What if everything goes away? Daddy, I’m so afraid.Sam Soon’s Dad: You dummy. Getting hurt, not getting hurt, why are you worrying about things that might never happen?

Bulls eye! It’s as if Sam Soon’s Dad was talking to me and not to Sam Soon.

My weakness is always worrying things, that, as what Sam Soon’s Dad said, might not even happen. And that foolishness often ruins my TODAY. My NOW. And I realized, as Sam Soon started realizing it too, that we should stop worrying too much and live our lives to the fullest.

It was during a point in my life when I was really down. A time when I felt like, and believed that, nothing good is going to happen anymore. I watched My Name Is Kim Sam Soon out of the curiosity why the ugly duckling didn’t turn into a beautiful swan. But I ended up seeing life differently. I became happier and I started “living” again.

Thus I will be forever grateful to the lessons I’ve learned in My Name Is Kim Sam Soon – a Korean drama that has changed my life.

Dance like no one’s watching.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Sing like no one’s listening.
Work like you don’t need the money.
Live like today’s the last day of your life.

And the other one is a rough translation of what girlfriday wrote on her Scent Of A Woman recaps on Dramabeans.

오늘이 인생의 마지막 날인듯 사는게 아니고,내일이 또 오듯이 하루하루를 살라!

Don’t just live each day as if it were your last.
Live each day as if you have a tomorrow.

These are what keeping me going for years (actually the first one only, since the second one is a recent one). And I started “living” again while holding unto these inspirational quotes.

But it looks like I’ve forgotten these words and I’ve been getting more and more depressed these past weeks (or months perhaps). I’ve been depressed because I was worrying about many things. I was worrying about my mistakes. I was worrying about the future. I was worrying what other people will say or think. I was scared of failure. And most of all, I was scared of possible disappointments. I was so scared of getting hurt without me realizing that I’ve been hurting myself by sulking, and wasting my precious days by being anxious every freaking minute – over something that is not even happening yet – and worst it may not even happen at all! I’ve tried many things to lift my spirit up but my depression was just too bad that nothing seems to work.

How can I fail to notice that what I needed most is glaring at me at the upper right-hand corner of my blog!

The hell to what other people will say, I will do the things that I want to do. If I make a mistake, then I’ll correct it. If things won’t happen the way I want it to, then so be it. If I get hurt because of it, then I’ll cry. Plain and simple. I really don’t understand why I have a tendency of complicating things. O.o

I’m way better now. I haven’t had a good cry, but I don’t think I need it. I really feel better and my heart feels lighter. Thanks 지구고냥이님 for reminding me these important lessons we learned from 선아언니의 드라마. I will try my best not to forget these anymore. ^_^

I always feel depressed for a quite a while now. But it became really worse this past couple of weeks. And I really hate feeling this way. But I just can’t help it.

I guess too much stress from school and other problems here and there made me forget one important lesson I learned from the drama My Name Is Kim Sam Soon. That is – NOT TO WORRY IN ADVANCE (or actually can be read as simple as NOT TO WORRY. Period.)

It’s one of the reasons why I love My Name Is Kim Sam Soon and why I hold it close to my heart. It has lifted me out of my depression 5 years ago. And it taught me how to dream again without any fears.

But somehow it looks like I forgot about that important lesson and I slowly became who I was 5 years ago without me realizing it.

I’m sincerely thankful to 지구고냥이 언니 for talking to me tonight. I keep posting crap on my me2day these past few days and she left a comment on my recent rant and I ended up chatting with her.

She didn’t exactly tell me not to worry in advance, but her words reminds me of what My Name Is Kim Sam Soon has taught me.

Some of my closest friends, who suffered from my rantings lately, keeps giving me positive and encouraging words. But apparently none of them worked for me. Not that I’m not grateful to them. I actually am. They all made me feel loved. But it were not the words I needed. And worse, I’m interpreting it differently and that only made me feel even worse.

But 지구고냥이 언니’s words are exactly what I needed at the moment. It’s just interesting that a Korean, and her advice written entirely in Korean has knocked some sense to me.

I’m really way better now. I know that there’s a big possibility that my heart can be shattered into pieces soon. But who cares! So be it! Why would I ruin each day sulking and feeling anxious? Especially for something I’m not even sure of.

I still think I need a good cry to completely get rid of all these ill feelings in my heart. Though honestly, my heart now feels really really lighter than how it was a few hours ago.

I guess I also have to rewatch My Name Is Kim Sam Soonreally soon. I haven’t rewatched it for a long time.

새… 출… 발!

"찌질대지마, 어리광 그만 부려!"
-여왕의 교실의 마선생님

34희 한국어능력시험April 20th, 2014

TOPIK! Fighting!

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각시탈

What is a good drama?

A good drama for me sucks you in. Lets you enter their world no matter how unrealistic it may be. Lets you embrace the characters. Wrenches your heart. Pulls your heartstrings. And leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling that makes you want to snuggle in your blankets, sigh and do some thinking. It gives you chills down your spine and crawls under your skin once in a while. And you feel a certain kind of sadness when you finally reach the end. Not really because of the story's ending, but because of the realization that the wonderful journey with the characters has already ended.